AMMA SAYS - STORIES & JOKES

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OM AMRITESWARYAI NAMAH

 

AMMA SAYS - STORY

 

The cup is full

 

"A Mahatma once lived in a deep forest. One day, a scholar came to

the forest to visit him. The scholar was in a great hurry and said

to the Mahatma, 'Revered Sir, can you tell me something about

meditation?' The Mahatma smiled at him and said, 'Why are you in

such a hurry? Sit down, relax and have a cup of tea. Then we will

discuss the matter, there is time enough.' But the scholar was very

restless and impatient. He said, 'Why can't we do it right now? Tell

me something about medition!'

 

"However, the Mahatma insisted that the scholar should sit down,

relax and have a cup of tea before he would talk to him. Finally,

the scholar had to yield to the Mahatma and he sat down. But, as is

the nature of a scholar, he couldn't possibly relax. He was constaly

talking within. The Mahatma took his own time. He made the tea and

came back to the scholar who was waiting for him impatiently. The

Mahatma handed a cup and a saucer to the scholar and then he began

to pour the tea into the cup. The cup became full, it started to

overflow, but the Mahatma did not stop pouring. The scholar

shouted, 'What are you doing? The cup is full! Stop pouring!' But

the Mahatma kept on pouting. The tea overflowed into the saucer and

from the saucer it slowly began to drip onto the floor. The scholar

shouted at the top of his voice, 'Hey, are you blind! Can't you see

that the cup is full and that it cannot hold another drop?'

 

"The Mahatma smiled and stopped pouting the tea. 'That is right,' he

said. 'The cup is full and it cannot hold another drop. So, you know

that when a cup is full it cannot hold any more. How then can you,

who are brimful with information, listen to me when I talk about

meditation? It's impossible. So first empty your mind and then I

will talk to you!"

 

"My children, knowledgeable people or intellectuals only know how to

talk. They cannot listen. Listening is possible only when we are

empty within. Only one who has the attitude, 'I am beginner, I am

ignorant,' can listen with faith and love. Our listening becomes

complete when our whole being participates. Only then will true

knowledge flow into us."

 

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AMMA SHARANAM